Banks, inspectors and serious counterparties decide within minutes whether a deal is real, and they decide on documents. An incomplete pack is the most common reason a genuine deal is rejected for KYC or trade finance, and the most common sign of one that is not genuine.
The rule of thumbSend a complete, consistent pack once, rather than documents one at a time on request. Every company name, address, product description, quantity and date must match across all documents.
What the seller provides
Before the contract
- Company registration certificate and articles, with a recent extract from the official registry
- Ownership and directors, including ultimate beneficial owners
- Export licence or registration where the country or product requires one
- Evidence of the product: production or refinery allocation, warehouse or tank receipt, or a supply contract with the producer
- If the seller is not the producer: a written mandate or supply agreement showing the chain to the goods
- Product specification sheet and a recent inspection report that can be verified with the issuer
- Bank details on company letterhead, in the seller's own name, in the country of registration
- Shipment history or references for the product
For shipment and payment
| Document | Issued by | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | Seller | Value, quantity, price, terms; basis for payment and customs |
| Packing list / weight list | Seller | Packaging, marks, net and gross weights |
| Bill of lading (or air waybill, CMR, rail note) | Carrier | Receipt and contract of carriage; an order B/L is the document of title |
| Certificate of origin | Chamber of commerce or authority | Origin for customs duties and preferential tariffs |
| Certificates of quality and weight | Independent inspector | Specification and quantity at loading |
| Insurance certificate | Insurer | Required under CIF and CIP |
| Phytosanitary / health / veterinary certificate | Government authority | Food, agricultural and animal products |
| Fumigation certificate | Licensed company | Grains, pulses, wood packaging, where required |
| Halal, non-GMO, organic certificates | Accredited body | Where the buyer or market requires them |
| Safety data sheet (SDS), REACH | Producer | Chemicals, fuels, fertilizers |
| Responsible sourcing records | Producer / seller | Metals and minerals (OECD due diligence), EUDR for coffee, cocoa, soy, palm oil, wood, cattle, rubber into the EU |
What the buyer provides
- Company registration and registry extract, ownership and directors, ultimate beneficial owners
- Import licence or registration where needed (for example food-importer registration, fuel import licence)
- Letter of intent stating product, specification, quantity, destination port, delivery schedule, Incoterm and payment method, signed and on letterhead
- Bank name and contact for bank-to-bank verification; never a screenshot of a balance
- End-user or end-use statement where the product is controlled
- Destination details: port, terminal, discharge rate, import permits
Why documents are rejected
| Problem | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Names or addresses differ between documents | KYC fails; LC presentation is refused as discrepant |
| Seller is not the owner and shows no chain to the goods | No bank or inspector will proceed |
| Inspection report cannot be verified with the issuing office | Treated as forged |
| Bank account in a third country or another company's name | Classic payment-fraud indicator; compliance stops the deal |
| Price far from the market | Bank asks why; trade-based money laundering checks |
| Product description differs between contract, LC and invoice | Discrepancy; payment delayed or refused |
TradeScout24 Trade Desk · Requirements vary by country and product; check the destination's current rules · Last reviewed 25 Oct 2026